$7,000 in lost cash recovered at Atlanta airport

By JEFF MARTIN

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

ATLANTA (AP) -- An Alabama foot doctor said he is grateful for the honesty of a part-time parking cashier at Atlanta's airport, who found $7,000 in cash on the curb outside the international terminal and promptly turned it in.

Pamela North Holloway a couple weeks ago found the envelope on the curb where shuttles unload passengers at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. She turned it in and watched her supervisor count the money and contact Atlanta police to pick it up.

"I could've kept the money but I didn't do that. I'm an honest citizen. I'm a taxpayer and I believe in doing the right thing," Holloway told WSB-TV, which first reported the story. A number listed for her in Atlanta rang unanswered and the voice mailbox was full Wednesday.

Dr. Troy Zimbelman said he called the airport shuttle service he used and then police. He was eventually able to claim the 70 $100 bills since he knew specific writing on the envelope and how the money was wrapped.

"I was very impressed and plan on sending her a little reward money, too. It was a nice thing," Zimbelman said Wednesday.

The Prattville podiatrist says he was running late for his flight with a group of friends to Costa Rica on Feb. 20. While retrieving his passport and emptying his pockets in a security checkpoint, he discovered the cash had vanished. Hoping he had left it in a car before he reached the airport, he boarded his flight and figured he would check for the money when he got back to the U.S.

"I was like, I sure hope it's in one of the cars," he said.

When he returned to the U.S., he searched the cars he'd been in and found no trace of the envelope.

"I figured if somebody found it, since it was money, it wouldn't get turned in," he said.

But he called the shuttle company anyway, and they told him some money had been found. About 20 calls later, he was able to reach an Atlanta police officer. The officer, he said, was very helpful and arranged for him to claim the lost cash.

"I'm actually going to send her a check," he said of Holloway. "Same with the police officer who helped me."